William lang



(No Model.)

4 W. LANG.

PROCESS OF MANUFAGTURING WATCH GASES. I No. 365,826. Patented July 5,1887.

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rrrcar IVILLIAM LANG, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING WATCH-CASES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,826, dated July 5,1887.

Application filed October 30, 1886. Serial No.217,619. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM LANG, of the city of Brooklyn, in the countyof Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in the Manufacture of VVatch-Oases, of which the followingis a de scription sufficient to enable others skilled in the art towhich the invention appertains to make and use the same.

My improvementsrelate to the manufacture of the main parts of awatch-case frame-the center, back, and bezelwithoutseam or joint, out ofpieces of sheet metal.

My main object is to simplifyand cheapen the construction of parts, andat the same time render them more accurate in shape and fit thanheretofore.

I am aware that dies have heretofore been used for the purpose ofshaping the sheet metal parts of watch-cases, and I do not herein seekto cover such use, broadly, as a part of my improved process ofmanufacture, my invention consisting in carrying out, relatively andsuccessively, or substantially so, the several steps in the processhereinafter set forth. Of

course it is obvious that the identical order hereindescribed and shownis not absolutely essential, since the succession, and in some cases theoperations themse1ves,may be varied without deviating from the spirit orintent of my invention.

In theaccompanying drawingsI illustrate the effect of the succeedingoperations in my pro cess, although it is to be understood that I do notlimit myself to the precise form of parts shown, since the latter willvary more or less, according to the particular size or style ofwatch-case required.

Figure 1 represents a front view of a watchcase made in accordance withmy improved process, with pendant and tube added. Figs. 2 to 8,inclusive, represent, respectively, diametrical sections of the centeror frame of the case at theend of succeeding operations. Figs. 9 to 13,inclusive, represent the results of succeeding operations in theformation of the back or cap. Figs. 14 to 23, inelusive,represent theresults of the operations in constructing my new form of bezel with mat.Fig. 24 represents a diametrieal section upon plane of line :1: 00,Fig. 1. Fig. 25 illustrates the old formation of groove in bezel.

The watch-case A shown is of the kind in which the back B and bezel Oare held upon the center D by the closeness of the fit between the snapsor rims of the back and bezel, and the opposed receiving-surfaces uponthe center D, hinging being thereby dispensed with, although the processis equally applicable to the manufacture of watch-cases, the parts ofwhich are to be hinged together.

The preparatory operations upon the blank for the center D consist insevering a disk of suitable size from a sheet of metal of the desiredthickness, drawing or cupping it, and then piercing it centrally,leaving it in the form shown in Fig. 2, all by the use of ordinary diesadapted for such purpose. In fact, all of the dies used in connectionwith my improved process are simply modifications of the ordinary kindsof diesused for similar purposes, and I do not confine myself to the useof any special construction of die. The blank D,being thus shaped withthe cylindrical pen tion (2 and the inwardly curved flange d, is nextsubjected to the action of dies, which crimp the said flange d in suchmanner as to form the interior and exterior annular shoul ders,(Z d, asindicated in Fig. 3. The edge of the cylindrical. portion (1 is nextbent and curvedinward by the use of suitable dies to afford the exteriorshoulder, cl", two (or more) separate compressions being desirable, asindicated by Figs. 4 and 5, in order to effect the change in the shapewithout injury to the blank. The next step is that of truing the exterior central portion, (P, to a uniform convex surface by means of aconcave cutting-tool in any ordinary turning-n1achine, leaving the blankas shown inFig. 6. The blank D is next supported externally in the latheand the edge 1 turned true. Next, the inner edge, 2, is turned to renderit true and increase the diameter of the opening upon that side to thestandard size. Then the cutter is passed in from the opposite side ofthe blank and the interior surfaces, 3, trimmed and rendered even witheach other; and, finally, this step of shaping the interior is completedby turn ing the annular groove r, near the back edge of the centerpiece, D, for the purpose of affording a means of securing the works ofthe watch in place in cases in which itis designed to use such method ofattaclnnent. Theblank or center piece, D, is once more supported uponthe lathe internally and the parallel surfaces 4 and 5 simultaneouslyout upon either side of the convex middle portion, (1 and the exteriorsurfaces, 6 and 7, of the opposite flanges, d and d trimmed to thestandard size and into slight convexity in order to facilitate theapplication of the back and bezel and insure a tight fit with their rimsor snaps.

It is obvious that the order in which the several cuts are to be made intrimming this and the other parts of the watch-case may be variedaccording to preference or convenience, as I have herein simply followedin my description a preferable mode of procedii re. The blank back B,having been first cut and then drawn bya compound dieinto the shapeshown in Fig. 9, next hasits flange I) bent inward at an angle of aboutforty-five degrees, as shown in Fig. 10, the succeeding operationcompleting the turning over of the said flange, so that it projectsinward in a plane substantially at right angles to the axes of the backplate, B. The latter is next supported both internally and externally ina turning-machine, and the outer surface, I), Fig. 12, and inner or snapedge, if, Fig. 13, trimmed off to the required degree, the diameter ofthe opening formed by the edge I) being such that the said edge fitsover the flange (l of the center D so closely as to bind thereon withsufficient pressure to hold thesaid parts together.

I am aware that snap-flanges have heretofore been formed by bending overthe edge of the back piece and treating it in such manner as to thickenand thereby strengthen the metal composing the snap; but I do not setclaim to any process of thickening or compressingthe metal at thatpoint, confining myself to the simpler and more inexpensive method ofbending over the edge of the back piece and subsequently truiug theouter surface and inner edge thereof. The snap thus formed, beingdesigned more especiallyfor the purpose of obviating the use of hingesor positive means of attachment to the center piece, has an advantageover the thicker rims referred to, which are designed expressly torender practicable the hinging of the parts, the greater elasticity ofthe snap constructed according to my method adapting it to retain itselfin place upon the center piece more effectively, and for a like reasonfacilitating its applicationto or removal from the said center.

In forming myimproved form of bezel-piece or front 0 for the receptionof the watchcrystal the shell is first cut and drawn into the shapeshown in Fig. ltbythe same dies used in the preparatory step upon theblank for the back, the result of which is shown in Fig. 9. The blank isnext pierced centrally by a die, which removes a disk of metal verynearly equal in diameter to the opening required for the watch-crystal,the next operation being to trim off the edge e to standard size and toimpart to it a slight inward bevel.

Heretofore the groove or seat for the edge tion of one side of such oldform of bezel is shown, with the beveled groove turned in its edge, andrepresenting also the angle to which the inner edge, e, is bent inwardin order to properly shape the groove or seat for the reception andsupport of the edge of the glass and form the beveled visiblemat-surface. In practice the operation of bending inward this inneredge, 0, is a delicate operation and 11able to break or injure it, sothat the bezel is useless. I obviate this difficulty by making my bezelin two parts, the inclined internal shoulder, c being formed of theinner edge of a mat-piece, G, which is inserted and secured within thebezel-piece O, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

In forming the mat G a flat annular blank (shown in Fig. 17) is firststamped out of thin sheet metal and then pressed into the shape shown inFig. 18. The succeeding operatlon, which consists in removing thesurplus mate rial by means of suitable cutting-dies, leaves the mat 0ready for insertion within the shell 0 of the bezel. The parts '0 O areaccord ingly placed together between dies which turn over the outeredge, 0 of the bezel upon the outer edge, C, of the mat 0, two or moreoperations being preferable to accomplish this, as indicated in Figs. 20and 21, as in the case of the corresponding step in the process ofturning over the edge of the back B to form the snap. In fact, theflange c constitutes the snap for the bezel, and is finished by turningoff its outer surface, 0 and inner edge, 0, Figs. 22 and 23, inprecisely the same manner that the said snap of the back B is finished,as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13. The bezelthus formed is cheaper and stronger than the old form of bezel, and alsoaffords a more perfect seat for the glass, the edges of which arebeveled and sharply defined, so that the corresponding sharply-definedangular groove or seat in my bezel affords a more perfect fit thanheretofore, the glass being simply forced or snapped into place againstthe elasticity or spring of the metal constituting the beveled frontedge of the bezel and sustained at the rear by the flange of the mat. Bythis construction I am also enabled to make the flange of the mat, whichis visible through the glass, of any desired width, and thereby improvethe appearance of the watch-front.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The process of manufacturing the parts of a watch-case from sheetmetal, consisting in treating the blanks to operations relatively andsubstantially such as herein described.

2. The process of shaping the center piece of a watch-case,substantially as herein set forth, consisting in proximately shaping theblank by means of dies and subsequently re- ICC IIO

moving the surplus material and finishing by turning, substantially inthe manner and for the purpose described.

3. The process of forming the cap or back of a watch-case, substantiallyas herein set forth, consisting in shaping the blank and turning overits edges to form the snap by means of dies, and subsequently treatingthe snap to the turning operations, substantially in the manner and forthe purpose described.

4. The process of forming watch-case bezels, substantially as hereindescribed, consisting in shaping-the outer shell by means of dies andturning its inner edge, substantially as described, inserting a matformed substan- \VILLI AM LANG Vitnesses:

WM. GARDNER, GEO. W. MIA/r1.

